• Start a compost pile, and spread compost around your plants in the spring, to provide soil biodiversity.

• Apply compost tea to your yard instead of fertilizer.

• Stop using chemicals on your lawn and pesticides in your garden. They kill many living things that keep the soil healthy and provide food for other creatures. "Pesticides don't just kill 'bad bugs'; they kill good bugs that help keep the system balanced," she said.

• Remove invasive species that crowd out native plants. (Examples of invasive species include garlic mustard, oriental bittersweet, buckthorn, Russian olive and Japanese beetles.)

Sure, holiday baking traditions are great. But isn't it time to try a new sweet treat this year? The Holiday Cookie Finder has every winning recipe from our annual baking contest from the past 14 years.

It's tempting to drop everything and roam Minnesota to catch all the crimsons and golds at this time of year. But who has time for that? We've found your leaf-peeping match. Just follow our flow chart.